Casing elevator construction



y 17, c. A. LUNDEEN 1,966,452

CASING ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Juiy 17,. 1934." I c, LUNDEEN 1,966,452

CASING ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 23, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 17, 19,3 v v CASING ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTION Chester A; Lundeen, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Byron Jackson 00., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application January 23, 1933, Serial No. 653,074 Claims. (Cl. 29490) This invention relates to the construction of This view is of a diagrammatic nature, and omits elevators such as used in handling casings at'oil the latch illustrated in Figure 1, for holding seewell derricks or the like. This improvement'retions of the elevator in their closed position. lates particularly to a type of elevator formedof Figure 3 is a view similar toFigure 2, but illustwo sections which are hinged together, so that trat-ing the elevator inits open position. 60 they can be unlatched and swung outwardly to Figure 4 is aside elevation of an elevator link an open position. Each section of the elevator embodying my invention. v is provided with a lug or ear for engaging an ele- Figure 5 is an edge elevation of the link illusvator link-corresponding to it, and these two trated in Figure 4, and furtherillustrating the links are supported on a hoisting hook. In the distinctive features of this link. g use'of the elevator it is necessary that theeleva- Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, but illustor should open freely to permit the hinged sectrating a slight modification in the form of the tions to be clasped around the well casing. It lower end of the link. is also necessary that the elevator shall remain Figure '7 is a side elevation of a link of a differopen while being raised to the top of the oil derent type, which is adapted to be formed as a weld- 7 rick. When used with elevators having the usual less link, and this view illustrates an embodiment lugs or ears which are radial to the axis of the of my invention as applied to this type of link. elevator, the elevator is difficult to open and Referring more particularly to the parts, and' sometimes even impossible to open without lowespecially to Figure 1, 1 and 2 indicate the two ering the hook ordisengaging the bails from the sections of the elevator 3, which are connected 7 lugs. Also the links tend to close the elevator together by a hinged connection 4. This view sections when they are left open. shows the elevator in its open position. The

An elevator has come into use that overcomes elevator can be opened in this way after releasthis diificulty,= in which the lugs or ears are ing the latch 5. Each of the sections 1 and 2 curved, and this has occasioned the general disis provided with radially projecting means such carding of elevators with radial lugs, and with a. as an ear 6, which, if desired, may be formed consequent considerable economic loss. on its under side with a recess forming a rudi- The general object of this invention is topromentary socket to engage the lower end of its vide in an elevator construction a link, which corresponding link. In this view, 8 represents 30 will enable the elevator to be readily opened, and the left-hand link, and 9 the right-hand link. which 'will overcome the tendency ofthe elevator These links are formed alike, except that one is to close when in its open position, and at the a right-hand and the other a left-hand link. same time, employing radial supporting ears or The link 8 is illustrated more in detail in Figures lugs on the elevator, thereby enabling the dis- 4 and 5. This link isof the open or hairpin 35 carded elevators of this type to be put into use type, that is to say, it comprises a pair of oppoagain. sitely disposed reins 10 which are integrally con- Further objects of the invention will appear nected together at their upper ends by an upper hereinafter. bight or bend '11, which is adapted to rest on the The invention consists of the novel parts and bill 12 of the elevator hook 13. The upper ends I 10 combination. of parts to be described hereinafter, of these elevator links are usually oflset laterally,

all of which contribute to produce an efllcient so that when in-use, the upper ends of the links casing elevator construction. v converge as indicated in Figure 1, and the adja- A preferred embodiment of the invention is decent sides of the links usually have rounded scribed in the following specification, while the cheeks 14 to engage against each other.

45 broad scope of the invention is pointed out in The lower ends of the reins 10 are connected the appended claims. by an integral bend or bight 15; (See-Fig. 4.)

In the drawings: In applying my invention to a link of this type, Figure 1 is a perspective illustrating an eleva- I form the middle plane of the bight 15 so that tor construction, representing the elevator in an it is oriented on the longitudinal axis of the link 50 open position and with the elevator links supwith respect to the plane of the bight 11 at the ported on an elevator hook, the upper portion of upper end 'of the link. This eflect may be atwhich is broken away. tained by twisting the lower ,end of the link as Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken through indicated in Figure 1, so that the lower ends of the elevator links just above the elevator, and the two reins 1 0 are not located in a plane normal 65 illustrating the elevator in its closed position. to the radial axis of the lug6. In other words,

the plane of the lower bight 15 is oriented in a direction toward a plane substantially at right angles to the radial axis of the corresponding lug 6 when the elevator is open. In this connection, reference is had to Figure 3, in which the dotted lines 16 indicate the medial plane of the bights of the links 8 and 9; Preferably the amount of orientation issuflicient to enable the medial plane 16 to be substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding lug when the elevator is in its open position. When the elevator sections are swung toward each other to close the elevator, the lower ends of the links move inwardly with the corresponding lugs, and assume the relation indicated in Figure 2, in which 60 indicates the lugs, 15a indicates the lowerbightsof the links, and 1a and 2a indicate the sections of the elevator.

If desired, the lower end 17 of a link of this type maybe bent laterally toward the vertical axis of the elevator. In other words, it may be offset in the same general direction as the upper end 18 of the link. This enables the bight 19 of such a link to fit in.--closer to the body of the elevator section to which the link is attached, so that the links can get under the load which is being supported.

In Figure 37 I illustrate an embodiment 01' my invention in a link 20 of a type called weldless link, because this type of link can readily be formed from solid metal by punching out an elongated eye '21 in the body of the link and providing a single shank 22 with which the reins 23 of the link integrally connect. The lower end of the link is formed into a head 24 in which an eye 25 is punched so that the bottom of this eye constitutes a bight 26 corresponding to the bight 15 of the hairpin type link.

In this weldless type of link the medial plane of the eye and of the bight 26 is oriented as indicated in Figures 2 and 3. This efiect may be attained by forming a twist in the shank 22 while forging a link.

It will be evident that when links embodying my invention are employed with an elevator composed of hinged sections, the links do not hinder in any way, the free movement of the elevator sections 1 and 2 in opening and closing the elevator, and in the open position of the elevator the medial plane of the eye or bight that engages the lug on the adjacent section, is substantially at right angles to the radial line or radial axis of the lug. Therefore, the weight of the elevator on the links, does not tend to close the elevator, and it will readily remain in an open position when being hoisted to'an elevated point in the oil well derrick.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention described herein isonly one of the many embodiments this invention may take, and I do not wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in the claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

I claim:

1. In a casing elevator construction for oil wells, the combination of an elevator having two sections with a hinge connection between the same enabling the elevator to swing open, each of said sections having a radially projecting means for engaging an elevator link, and a pair of links for supporting the elevator, each of said links having a bight at its upper end for engaging an elevator hook, and having a lower bight rigid with the upper bight for engaging its corresponding projecting means, the plane of the lower bight of each link being oriented on the longitudinal axis of the link toward a plane inclined to the radial axis of the corresponding projecting means when theelevator is closed.

2. In a casing elevator construction for oil wells, the combination of an elevator having two sections with a hinge connection between the same enabling the elevator to swing open, each of said sections having a radially projecting means for engaging an elevator link, and a pair of links for supporting the elevator, each of said links having a bight at its upper end for engaging an elevator hook, and having a lower bight rigid with the upper bight for engaging its corresponding projecting means, the plane of the lower bight of each link being oriented on the longitudinal axis of the link into a plane substantially at right angles to the radial axis of the corresponding projecting means when the elevator is open.

3. An elevator link for supporting an elevator composed of two sections with a hinge connection between the same, said link having an upper bight at its upper end for engaging-an elevator hook, and having a shank with an eye atits lower end for engaging the elevator, said ,eye being oriented on the longitudinal axis of the link with respect to the plane of the upper bight, so that in the closed position of the elevator the plane of the eye is inclined to the vertical radial plane passing through the central axis of the elevator and the eye. v

4. A pair of elevator links for supporting an elevator composed of two sections with ahinged connection between the same, each of said links having a pair of oppositely disposed reins with a bight connecting the same at their upper end for engaging an elevator hook, said linkrhaving a lower bight connecting the lower ends of said reins, the plane'of said lower bight being oriented on the longitudinal axis of the link with respect to the plane of the upperb'ight, so that in the closed position of the elevator, the plane of each lower bight is inclined tothe' vertical radial plane passing through the centralaxis of the elevator and the lower bight. f;

5. An elevator link for supporting an elevator composed of two sections with a hinged connection between the same, said link consisting of a single rigid piece having a pair of oppositely disposed reins with a bight connecting the same at their upper end for engaging an elevator hook, said link having a lower bight connecting the lower ends of said reins, the plane of said lower bight being oriented on the longitudinal axisof the link with respect to the plane of the upper bight, the upper end of said link being offset laterally and the lower end of said link at the lower bight being offset laterally in the same general direction as the offset at the upper end of the link.

CHESTER A. LUNDEEN. 

